Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Opens New Center for Aortic Care

Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute has opened a new center for patients with aortic disease. The Center for Aortic Care will have a multidisciplinary team of experts available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to treat the 11 segments in the aorta and to care for patients at risk of aortic aneurysms or aortic dissections.

The body’s largest blood vessel, the aorta, transports blood from the heart to the rest of the body. A weak spot anywhere in the vessel’s 11 segments can cause it to bulge and eventually rupture. Similarly, a tear or separation in the layers of the aortic wall can lead to death.

“Our new center for aortic care is dedicated to providing patients the highest level of expertise and innovative treatments for aortic conditions,” said Tom C. Nguyen, MD, chief medical executive, director of minimally invasive valve surgery, and Barry T. Katzen Medical Director Endowed Chair of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “With an experienced team at the helm, we’re equipped to address the most complex cases, offering hope and life-saving care to those dealing with aortic disease.”

The center offers a full range of options available at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, including open and traditional surgeries, endovascular treatment, or less invasive treatments that use small incisions.

“If you have a family history of aortic aneurysms or dissections, it’s critical to get screened as early detection can be lifesaving,” said Mehrdad Ghoreishi, MD, co-director of aortic surgery and medical director of cardiac surgery research at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “The Center for Aortic Care offers comprehensive treatment options to ensure your health and reduce the risk of complications.”

September is Aortic Disease Awareness Month, and there are several risk factors for aortic disease:

• Increasing age
• Being born male
• Smoking and tobacco use
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure and cholesterol
• Family history
• Certain genetic conditions, such as Marfan syndrome, Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Loeys-Dietz syndrome
• Having a bicuspid aortic valve
• Diabetes

For more information about the program, or to refer a patient, contact us at 786-596-1230 or go to the website Center for Aortic Care | Heart & Vascular Care | Baptist Health.